The Gemini
by Teefa and Co
Summary: Sequal to A Mother's Legacy. A new evil arises, and Lilka and Ashley Enduro must fight it with two friends.
1. Legends Come True

****

Legends Come True

The house was decorated for a major celebration. Blue, yellow, green, and brown streamers and balloons occupied nearly every corner of the kitchen. On the table was a cake, with vanilla frosting. The words on top, which were written in blue jell, said "Happy 16th B-Day and good health Lilka Jane and Ashley Alexander Enduro." Blue and yellow flowers with green leaves decorated every edge of the cake.

Virginia Enduro, their mother, was setting the table for her, her husband, and her children, her blue eyes full of wonder and joy on her children's special day. Her brown hair had grown back since the accident sixteen and a half years ago, and could now be worn in a braid once more. They had decided on having a nice, quiet party at home, instead of inviting all of their friends. Lilka wasn't a big social person, the only friend close to her own age was Cecille Beria, who was born just six months after the twins. And Ashley wasn't quite keen on inviting their parent's friends on this very day. So the party was going to be the next week, once things had calmed down a little bit for the family, and the twins were comfortable with their gifts. Certainly, she and her husband, Jet, had given them something they had always wanted.

In came Jet, carrying a pair of boxes. His silver hair was messy, as usual, and his purple eyes were focused on the path he was taking. He'd just spent half the day moving furniture, so there would be no accidents today. The presents were placed on the table, waiting for the twins to open them.

"Lilka, Ashley," called Virginia, "Come downstairs, everything is ready for your desert. And your father and I have got something to give you." She had mastered the art of calling loudly, for when they were children and trying to annoy her and Jet in some way, usually by hiding in a closet or under the bed. Or if they'd ever gotten lost in the forest, or separated from her when on the road. If every something happened, the twins could follow the sound of their mother's voice, and be reunited with her in a heartbeat.

Lilka was the first in the room. She had on a white button down shirt, a country blue skirt with her initials stitched at the bottom, blue boots with yellow around the top of the foot, a yellow headband, and yellow and blue scarves to match her father's white and red ones. There was a leather belt holding up her skirt, so it didn't fall down to her knees when she was walking or running. In her braided brown hair, was a yellow ribbon, and her purple eyes shone with delight at the sight before her and her brother.

Ashley, who came after his sister, had his father's silver hair and his mother's blue eyes. He had on a dark green shirt and light green pants, with a leather belt to hold them up. A jacket much like his father's adorned his outfit, and he had a black glove on his left hand, with a green guard on his wrist, held up with a black belt. The boy's shoes were brown, with a black sole, and a green belt on top, much like the pair that Jet wore. He stood next to Lilka, and smiled at what he saw on the table.

"Happy Birthday, Ashley, Lilka. These presents are from your mother and me, I hope you use them well," Jet stated. He handed the box with a blue ribbon to Lilka, and the one with a green ribbon to Ashley. Then, he put his arm around Virginia, as they watched their children open the boxes with excitement.

They didn't have to be told what was in there, ARMs. For Lilka, it was a pair of Duel Pistols that were almost similar to Virginia's. But Ashley got a Machine Gun like Jet. Each ARM came with a holster to keep it in, which could be attached to their belts. The twins instantly did just that, and thanked Jet and Virginia for the gifts. Both had wanted to have ARMs of their own ever since they were little kids.

Virginia said, "You should also thank Uncle Vincent when you see him next, he was the one who made them. It's good, you know, having a member of the family with the knowledge of how to create such weapons, that way there was no questions asked about the oddities that went into this whole project."

Lilka looked at her mother, wondering why she'd said that. "But mom, why would the whole project be odd? You got us each ARMs like the types we wanted, there's nothing special about them. Daddy has to use a special ARM, but Ashley and I can wield all kinds." For in the past, they'd tried to fire both Jet's Airget-lamh B/V2, as well as the Rapier Ez and Bantorian 93R. Due to the fact that they had both the blood of the descendants of the neosaphians, and the planet itself, they could fire either type with ease.

"They're hybrids," explained Jet, "Thus the name of Ashley's gun, Hybrid H/X8. It was made of a mixture of Dragon Fossils, and the same metal from the Airget-lamh, which we found in the back of the old lab the last time we went there. Then, I dispelled some leftover nanomachines in order to get the same energy that is in my ARM. Lilka's Stinger Lx is a normal ARM, but her Filgaia 67A is made of exactly the same material and energy of Airget-lamh. If we'd asked a normal ARMs dealer, we'd be questioned. It's bad enough that we're still outlaws, but we have to deal with my difference from normal humans too."

The twins went outside to practice with their new ARMs. Uncle Gallows had come over for a visit recently, and left plenty of bottles in the house. Thus, there were plenty of targets to practice on. Both of the youths took to their new weapons naturally, the fact that they were taught by their mother even before they knew who their father was might be one reason, their father's true identity another one.

Suddenly, the sky went dark. Worried as to what was happening, Jet and Virginia came outside. A strange spirit was in the sky, and it descended upon the youths and their parents, coming closer as the seconds passed. Lilka brought up her pistols, and Ashley did the same with his Machine Gun.

"The Time of Destiny has come. Only The Gemini are able to stop this evil. Journey outside of your simple existence, Gemini, and find your destiny," it told them. Then, a bright light shone, and it was gone. But a Medium was now in the hands of both twins. Lilka's was the Saint Medium, Iona Paua. Ashley held the Summit Medium, Degenos. These hadn't been seen in over a thousand years, even by Shamans!

Jet asked, "What did he mean by 'The Gemini'? And what does it have to do with us?"

Virginia felt her blood run cold. "It is an ancient prophecy, spoken in the Adlehyde family. It tells of a demon's arrival on Filgaia, and the savior of the people would be a pair of twins, and other chosen warriors. They are marked by the arrival of a Medium that has been missing for some time, and a light show. Now, Ashley and Lilka will have to leave home, in order to discover these other warriors and stop this evil."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

What a way to introduce this. These kids sure have bad luck on birthdays. Sure, I figured we had to make things a little less complicated on the day they were chosen. Check, one Guardian per warrior, meaning I only have to find eight in the future. And some can be brought together like the three new ones and Lucadia Sea Guardian. Gives me more time for other story elements.


	2. Guesswork

Guesswork

Knowing that they needed to find those chosen by the Guardians as their helpers, they decided to start where they knew. So later that day, after using the Teleport Orb, they arrived at Victoria Sylian's house. Lilka and Ashley were hoping to ask for help from her granddaughter, Cecille. The young Shaman girl was quite bold when it came down to things, she was far removed from the crybaby she'd been as a young child. Once they arrived, Ashley knocked on the door, loud enough to make the house shake.

Cecille's mother, Emily, answered the door. She had blue hair and brown eyes, and was wearing her green Shaman's robe. Born only about a month before Virginia, her mother had been the midwife who'd attended to Ekatrina Maxwell during her pregnancy. She was also the one who searched out Virginia's brother when he was kidnapped, and Ekatrina had to return home before anyone became suspicious.

Like with the Enduros, Emily Beria lived in the woods with her mother, husband, and daughter. Thus, they were more free to conduct Shamanistic rituals and practice their powers. It just so happened, that Victoria was one for holding parties for young Shamans who were single. Those parties were more of a matchmaker scheme than any, it was also the way her daughter had met the man she would eventually marry. When she saw the twins, the young woman smiled at them, happy for the visitors.

"No time to chat," stated Lilka, "It's a dire emergency. We received a vision of sorts earlier today, while we were practicing with ARMs outside. The Gemini Prophecy is about to come to pass, and we're the ones who've been chosen to carry the burden. Now, we need to search out people to help us."

"I know, a strange vision plagued Cecille as well. She's in her room, and will be quite happy to see the two of you again. I know that all of you get along well, and it might be good for you to have a friend you already know on this journey, it'll make things a little more comfortable for you all," replied Emily.

* * *

Not to long after, the three friends were in Cecille's room, looking over the Mediums. The girl had short blue hair and green eyes, with a pair of red berets in her hair. She wore an orchid dress with frills on the neck and both sleeves, as well as a pair of black shoes and white stockings. Cecille had acquired the Guardian of Life, Oodoryuk. She would have to be the healer of the team, which was a bit of good fortune. For through her training, the sorceress had mastered the Extension Force Skill, so she could take care of the whole team if needed be with her healing. Lilka's Force was Mystic like her mom, and Ashley had his dad's Accelerator skill. They could find a plan of operation around these skills, and their ARMs.

Cecille reminded them, "One problem, I don't have an ARM. I'm not curious about them like my dad is, so I've always stuck to magic when I was fighting monsters around the house. I never expected to be an avatar of the Guardians, and to travel around the world." Cecille's father, Leonard Beria, was a bit of a mad scientist, always trying to tamper with both machines and magic at the same time, usually blowing his lab up in the process, and having to spend a near fortune to replace what had been broken in the accident.

Ashley looked at her, and blushed. Ever since they were kids, he'd had a crush on her. But he was generally a shy boy, and didn't talk much about things like that. "How about we visit Uncle Vincent, he made us our ARMs, maybe he'll have something that you can use in combat. He's opened a kiosk on the road, on the continent where Gunner's Heaven is. Heck, some Drifters run low after landing but before they reach the arena. The whole thing is one big money maker for him, and his ARMs are remarkable."

Cecille agreed with the plan. Certaninly, if she could get an ARM, she'd do anything. Her staff was not going to be good, as people might confuse the intent of her magic as threatening, and try to kill her or her companions. She told her parents and grandmother goodbye, and they left the house. Then, Lilka pulled out the Teleport Orb, and they warped to the kiosk that Virginia's twin brother owned.

"I didn't expect to see you so soon," Vincent said, "Much less your little friend. Happy Birthday to the both of you. What can I do for you today, I don't think you're here just to thank me." His cowboy hat covered the top of his head and his shining blond hair, and his green eyes locked on the trio.

Lilka explained the situation, knowing Vincent wouldn't know what to do. Kidnapped by the rival of his father, he was raised to believe his own family abandoned him. Just ten years ago, Virginia had been able to convince him of the truth, with help from Luceid. But although he acknowledged his Shaman birthright, he never learned magic, thinking himself to old to grasp the concepts. He also never married, believing that he had some sort of bad blood he didn't want to spread to another generation.

"So, your friend needs an ARM. I think I can help with that, I know exactly what to give her. You have to think of a person's nature before you help them to learn the ARM," he stated. Vincent walked to a rack of guns. After careful consideration, he pulled down a rifle, and handed it to Cecille. She held it in both hands, as she'd seen Clive Winslett do when the four former Drifters got together, and put on a show for the 

three youngsters. The brand name written on the side read Titan SIL49.

Cecille whispered, "Thank you, Mr. Maxwell. I'll take good care of this rifle."

Vincent handed her some bullets. "Don't worry, it's on me. This seems important, I know my sister wouldn't just send her children out into a battle for no good reason. I figured that someone who is careful and thinks things trough like Cecille would be good for a weapon like this. Based it on what Virginia and her allies used, I well remember that Clive is the careful one. Or do you want me to base my choice on what to give you on Gallows? Shotguns are for people who let Chapananga guide their shot."

All three thanked Vincent again for his help. Then, they left the kiosk, and headed back outside. Once there, they warped to Claiborne. Since Virginia and her team had gotten their horses at the stables there, they thought to pick up a few for themselves. It could help them in the long run.

- - - -

Teefa's Last Words…

  
We have to meet the fourth hero yet, not right away. Well, we have another new Guardian, which was in the first and second games. The other two mentioned disappeared after the first. Here's the Arcana they use and their innate PS.

~Iona Paua~

Nova-Light attack

Bounce-Like Reflect

Celestial-Ups resistance to status changes

Zodiac-All elemental attack

(PS: Light Ward, Amnesia Ward, ATT Blocker)

~Degenos~

Quake-Earth attack

Slowpoke-Like Decelerate

Absorption-Like Distortion

Steady-Guards against mortal blows (critical hits)

(PS: Earth Ward, Defender, Paralysis Ward)

~Oodoryuk~

Refresh-Healing

Raise-Revives

Barrier-Like Shield

Wall-Like Protect

(PS: Poison Ward, Disease Ward, Confusion Ward)

I'll add more Guardians, PS, and Arcana when we meet them.


	3. Other Destined

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Other Destined

The trio soon arrived in Claiborne. Using 1500 Gella from the spending money that Virginia and Jet had given the twins, they purchased three fine young horses. Lilka's mare was brown, just like her hair. Her brother has a white coated stallion, matching his hair as well. And Cecille had gotten a mare with a gray coat. Once they finished that, Lilka brought some supplies from Roykman, who was still traveling after 

seventeen years. Then, they went to the saloon to plot their next destination, and make a plan.

"We've got to find the final warrior," Lilka stated, "But, we also need some Gella if we're going to be traveling awhile. So, maybe we should take on a job or two in order to earn some pocket money before we try a hard search. After all, we have absolutely no solid leads about the fourth member of the team."

"Why don't you try the new ruin that was just discovered? It's located inside of the mountain, near Serpent's Coils. An ancient rockslide buried the entrance, but the earthquake we had last month has made it visible again. I'm sure that there's plenty of treasure to be found in a place like that, where no Drifter has set foot in," Martina told them. Now that she was all grown up, she ran the saloon for her sickly mother.

It sounded like a good lead to them. Go through a ruin, find the treasure within, and get Gella both from the monsters inside and from selling the treasures they found. So, they saddled up the horses and went towards it. Lilka was naming hers Cocoa, Ashley wanted to call his Shimmer, and Cecille rather liked Blur. The young woman gave a shout of joy when she first ran on Cocoa's back, it was much different from her old sidesaddle that she would sit in as a kid, when her mother rode Hikari from place to place.

* * *

Once inside, they learned they weren't the first to arrive. Bullet casings from a recently fired ARM lay on the ground. From the looks of things, there were at least four people, as four different types of bullet could be found. There was a pistol, a machine gun, a bazooka, and a Gatling gun. Lilka then realized how ill prepared her team was for this venture, they couldn't take on four people with their tiny band. Maybe they could kill large groups of monsters, but people thought about how to fight, monsters charged ahead blindly. Virginia and Jet never had uneven odds, the most they ever fought at a time was four people, but they had a team of four, and Maya sometimes charged ahead like a monster and didn't think about how to fight against her opponents effectively. She never listened to Alfred's strategy ideas either, relying only on her books.

They continued to search around, anyway. But they found no trace of the humans who had entered before. Ashley thought maybe they had come in the other day, but Lilka disagreed. Being the heir to the sacred throne of Adlehyde, as well as having her father's blood, had given her sharper senses than any other person she knew. She could feel a human's presence in the air, just couldn't pinpoint the number of them that had come in as well. He and Cecille took her on her word, they knew what she could do.

Along the way, they found chests containing Gella, and healing items. One thing they found was a whole room dedicated to Elemental and Status Wards. Prism Crowns and Full Libras hung there as if they were just simple decorative pieces. That didn't sit well with the trio, knowing what those Gears were able to do for them. They each took a Prism Crown and a Full Libra, and placed it on the first slot in their Guardian so they could take advantage of the PS each one gave. Then, they used all their points in order to make the two be at full. Now, the team was protected against all that came their way. Of course, there wasn't much left for them to use PS on, and Cecille had no skills that would be useful at all for her points.

Soon, they found a treasure room like no other. Wall to wall was covered in golden artifacts, each looking like they were worth ten thousand Gella at the most and only if a greed merchant who cheated his customers was the one who they were selling it to. Lilka took down a gold scepter, and examined the gem encrusted sides. It had to be worth well over a hundred thousand Gella, and she would know. She wasn't the daughter of Jet Enduro for nothing, she knew the value of the things she found lying around.

A voice called out, "So, you've found the treasure house. Not bad, for novices. But now you'll be giving all the gems and gold to me, Leon Vanderbuilt the Drifter extraordinaire." A boy of about fourteen came in the room. He had short blond hair and brown eye. His shirt was red, his pants brown, and a black vest with sleeves was on top of the shirt. Black leather boots were on his feet, and he also had a leather belt to hold up his pants. There was a pistol holster on his right side, and a machine gun holster on the left. The large pack on his back was actually just a holder for straps to keep a bazooka and Gatling in place.

Ashley looked at him. "You're kind of young to be out on your own in a place like this. Does your mother know that you've gone off to play in the ruins, or are you trying to run away from home?"

"She knows," the boy replied, "She sent me here to look for treasure. I'm a Drifter, like my mother and father. But mother hurt her back in a recent accident, so it's fallen on me to keep the family's honor alive. Now, are you going to give me the gems, or do I have to shoot you with my ARM before you get the message? I don't tolerate people who come out here to play Drifter, they don't last long in battle."

"We're not playing! We just happen to be on a sacred mission for the Guardians. They visited us and told us that we're the only hope Filgaia has when the coming darkness approaches," Lilka stated.

Leon inquired, "By Guardians, do you mean the protectors of the world? Hah, don't make me laugh. Mere armatures couldn't hope to be chosen by such divine beings as those. You're just pulling my leg. If you want to see a Guardian, get a load of this." He pulled an object out of his pocket. The three Drifters went in closer to see what it was. As they looked, they saw the familiar shape of a Medium.

Lilka was shocked. "Then, you're the fourth warrior from the prophecy. Wait, we're not enemies. We've got to work together for the good of all life on Filgaia. Come with us Leon, we'll fight as one.

"This is my fateful companion, Ge Ramtos," Leon told them, "Guardian of Death, quite fitting if you ask me. Now then, if you won't surrender the jewels, you die. I have no desire of hanging around with a bunch of weaklings like you. And the state of the world doesn't concern me in the least."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Yeah. I figured giving them those Wards at the start would be good, certainly much easier than keeping track of Elements and Status on paper. I've got their PS written down, but I might forget what is on.

~Ge Ramtos~

Doom Circle-Dark attack

Armageddon-Instant Death

Divide-Cuts HP in half

Guarder-A shield against Instant Death

(PS: Dark Ward, Fallen Ward, Counter)  


All four of them have on Total Ward and Elemental Ward as well. And Leon can be fourteen because Calamity Jane in Wild ARMs 1 was fourteen.


	4. Rivalry

Rivalry

Leon's first move was to grab his 34Z869, the Gatling gun, and fire it at Lilka. She countered with her Nova attack. Ashley moved in and used his Slowpoke to keep him from going too fast, while Cecille made use of her Extension/Barrier combo to shield the party from Leon's attacks. In return, Leon fired off a shot from his RAW777 machine gun at his male opponent. The barrier was able to slow it down a little, and Ashley's Defender had kicked in as well. He fired Hybrid H/X8 after using Accelerate to speed himself up.

"You're not half bad, for kids," stated Leon, "I guess it can't be helped, what with Guardians Invoked and all. Me, as you can se I haven't used Ge Ramtos's powers once this whole fight. If you would like, I'll give you a demonstration of how dangerous I can be with my Guardian." He aimed his shot carefully at Lilka since she seemed to be the ringleader. Then, he cast the Doom Circle on her. But the Dark Ward that was innate inside of Elemental Ward activated, causing her no damage whatsoever from the attack.

"Thank Raftina for PS," chorused the twins. They were forever doing that, much to the annoyance of everyone else. Virginia had been worried for awhile that they both were exactly alike in likes and dislikes. She began to worry about it being something she had done, that she was an unfit mother for them. Jet had to knock some sense into her, and the twins had found their mother's sore spot. It was useful when they were trying to get something out of her, or just wanted to give a rise to one of their parents.

Lilka said, "We really have no reason to fight, all of us have Guardians so we can work together in this fight. Leon, if Filgaia dies, we're going to go down with it. So please, join us in our quest to save the world from destruction. You can help us greatly in battle, I can see the power inside of you. Ask any one of my family members, or our close family friends, I tend to see things that others are unable to see."

Leon looked at her. So full of determination, battle spirit, and even peace. There were too many different emotions locked inside her soul that it was difficult to count them. He wanted to know how she'd gotten such a strong spirit. But something about her was starting to cause a strange feeling in the pit of his belly. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it looked like what his father had described to him years ago. The boy then shook his head, in disbelief. 'I can't be in love, love is for weak minded fools. Sure my parents love one another, but they don't pine after each other or want to be by the other's side 24/7. Is this what I feel in my body now. No! I'm not with love. How can I have feelings for a little runt like her, anyway?'

"Hey, Leon," shouted the brown haired girl, "If you wanna have the jewels, go on ahead and take them. We're not going to argue over something so stupid. But just let us leave here, we've got a mission to complete. You should think about what I said, you're destined to come along with the rest of us."

"I don't really care if I'm supposed to fight by your side, kid! The state of the world is of no concern to me. You can go on your little quest for justice, or truth, or whatever you feel like, but leave me out of the game. I have jewels to find," Leon stated, looking into Lilka's eyes the whole time. He was blushing, but able to conceal it. Jet hadn't even been able to do that, he'd always show Virginia the truth in his eyes.

Lilka signaled her team to retreat. Luckily, before Leon had come, they'd each stashed some of the treasure inside of their pack. Thus, they too were able to grab some of the gold to sell in town. As they left the room, though, Lilka looked back. She thought, 'Leon, sooner or later you'll realize that you must come with us on this quest. You are destined to do this, and without the two allies who support the Gemini, our whole mission will fail. I wonder though, what exactly is this threat that calls the prophecy into play. Oh well, doesn't matter now. We're committed, and there's nothing I can do to change that part.'

* * *

Back in town, they enjoyed a refreshing drink at the saloon. Not of liqueur, mind you, but of fruit juices. Lilka had blueberry, Ashley had lime, and Cecille had grape. They were discussing the trip they'd just returned from, and the boy they had met while on it. Ashley wasn't too happy with him.

"I can't believe what a jerk!" he exclaimed, "If Filgaia is destroyed, or if it is evolved like those men that Mom and Dad fought against wanted, all humanity is going to die. What good will his gems do him if he's not around to spend them on anything? This guy's really got to think about things for once. And I saw the way he looked at you Lilka, I don't trust that kid one bit." He was a little overprotective of his big sister, blaming himself for both times they were kidnapped as children, although there was nothing he could do.

"Yeah, I think he's got a crush on you Lil. That's so cool, you've got a boyfriend already. What a belated sixteenth birthday present," Cecille added, giggling the whole time she had been speaking.

Ashley yelled, "That's not funny Cecille. A jerk like that wanting Lilka as his girl? For starters, he's only fourteen, a little too young for girls. Also a little too young for going out on his own, but that's not the point of this story. The point is, he's a jerk, and it's not good if Lilka goes out with him."  


Cecille wasn't one to lose a fight. "But there are people of his age at mom's matchmaking parties. They don't get married right away, but they try to find that special someone when they're young. If you fall in love and hurry into marriage because you don't want to miss out on becoming a parent, there's a better chance that the marriage is doomed to end in divorce in only a couple of years. But if you're a teen when you meet that special someone, then you have a longer time to think about it before coming of age."

"Can we stop debating my love life?" Lilka requested, "We've got more important things to worry about. Like the Gemini prophecy, and the Guardians. We've got to find out where the other ones are. Mom, Dad, and Uncles Gallows and Clive have twelve between them, but there are twelve more hidden out there. We've got to use these ones, since the old ones are already in sync with the previous generation. So let's just go to Baskar, and see if the High Priestess has any leads on where they are."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

I actually wrote this at 7:30 in the morning. Well, I was up and bored.


	5. Petals of Happiness

****

Petals of Happiness

It was just another day for Florina, the garden girl. She was going around the world, looking for a place to plant her flowers. Many of her earlier seedlings had taken to the wind, and began spreading on their own. But that didn't stop her. Florina would do anything in order to make Filgaia green again. Even with the rejuvenation of the ocean, and much of the Wasteland turning back into greenery, she still wanted to do her part. Thus, this journey to find a place not yet touched by greenery, and to save it as well.

"But how can I?" she asked herself, "Most of the work was done already. I wonder how it happened. I mean, one day I'm struggling to grow what I can in my own garden, and then suddenly the planet begins to cry out for someone to plant flowers around it. Does it have something to do with Virginia and her friends?" Her questions went unanswered, as they had every night for the past seventeen years of greenery.

* * *

"This map is useless! We're totally lost in a forest, and there isn't another person in sight. You know, it's just our luck. Sign on to help the Guardians save the world, get thrown for a loop and lost in the woods. I seriously think there's a Guardian that deals with practical jokes, and I'm not talking about Moor Gault," Lilka muttered, remembering her mother's words about how the Fire Guardian was known for his lighthearted manner and laid back attitude. It was cause for clashes between him and the others on many occasions throughout history. Luckily, it never interfered with their journeys to save the world.

Just then, she heard a noise in the bushes. Although Ashley often tried to imitate their father's soft side, the side he only showed when with his family, Lilka had been the one to inherit many of his powers. She often thought it was only because of Dist Dims being inside of her, certainly she hadn't felt a bond with the planet or other superior senses before that spell had been cast on her. Though the others had come to believe her when she said that she felt something, they had visual confirmation of her natural abilities.

As the group trudged through the thick forest, they heard a squeaky voice. Cecille went on ahead of her friends, and looked through the bushes. There, she saw Florina standing in a clearing, cornered by a pack of wild dogs. Her pack had fallen to the ground in the confusion, and she was clearly scared.

Cecille screamed, "Leave her alone. Barrier." The defensive skill was woven around Florina, and protected her from the attacks. Then, the young girl aimed her rifle, and shot one of the monsters. She began to wish that she had a physical attacking spell to cast. But all she could use was the spells from her Crest Graph, and that would cause the other girl to freak out about a Shaman attacking. With the Medium magic, she could show her the Medium, and say she'd studied magic in the Baskar Colony.

Florina got up, seeing she was safe. "Thank you for your help. I think I can do something for you as well." She began to concentrate, and suddenly a magical spell that Cecille had never seen began to flow through the clearing. It placed an impenetrable barrier around both girls, just as Ashley and Lilka arrived.

"We'll help you Cecille," called Lilka, "Just stay right there. Mystic, Light Gem." One of the gems she had gained from casting Nova on enemies was raised in her right hand, and then it began to split into several beams of light. These beams collided with the monsters, killing them the instant one hit them.

"Thank you, all of you. My name is Florina, and I'm a gardener. Can I ask you one little question? It's important. Might the three of you be Shamans? I can feel a calming magical power inside of the three of you, and would like to know if you are of the lost tribe of Guardian Sorcerers," she inquired.

Ashley asked, "How do you know something like that? Most people believe that Shamans were the cause of the war of a thousand years ago, by summoning that demon. More importantly, how can you feel the magic inside of us? You're beginning to scare me lady, and I don't spook easily." He was trying to put on his best Jet Enduro face, trying to be as blunt as his father. It didn't phase Florina, though.  


She smiled at him. "I know, because I am an Elw. My people exiled me for my brother's crime after the war over two thousand years ago. Since then, I've worked to return Filgaia to its former green state. Now that it's rejuvenated, I want to help the last few stubborn parts of the land. For my powers can sense my work is not yet complete. I wonder, though, how was it fixed up in the first place?"  


"Our parents," Lilka stated, "That is, Ashley's and mine. More specifically, our father. Dad was created by some scientists to test a theory about Filgaia being a living organism. He was imbued with special powers that humans could only dream of. As well as memories of Filgaia's past. These memories were able to bring back the greenery, after there was this accident and Filgaia needed to be reformed from a special orb that my grandfather had given to my mother not too long before that incident."

"You're Jet and Virginia Enduro's child?! I remember that they were married, but I never heard about them having a kid. Probably, since every time they came to visit, I was out doing some sort of planting in different parts of the world. What do they call you, young girl?" Florina inquired.

Lilka replied, "My name is Lilka Jane Enduro. The young boy over here is my twin brother, Ashley Alexander Enduro. We just turned sixteen. And the other girl is our friend Cecille Beria. She'll be sixteen in half a year. The three of us are traveling to fulfill the Gemini Prophecy. We each already have a single Guardian, and need to find two more each." They all held out the Mediums. Lilka noticed she forgot to mention Leon. She shrugged it off, better not to bother trying to figure him out and explaining.

Florina reached into her back right pocket, and pulled something out of it. In her hands, was a Dried Flower. Through it, a person could make items twice as effective. "I know of the prophecy, for I was with Rudy and Cecilia when they first heard of it. Elws live as long as the environment lives, so I have been alive for over three thousand years. I want you to have this, so you can save the world. If there's anything else I can do, don't hesitate to ask, descendant of those who repelled the Demons from our world."

Since she had the Mystic Force Skill, Lilka equipped it in her third slot. Then, they helped Florina to get back to her nearest garden. In return, the young Elw gave them the location of some more Guardians so they could head out right away. The team then headed to the first one on the list.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

  
I've got the Force written down. I didn't make a mistake at all. Lilka's got Mystic, Ashley has Acceleration, Cecille can use Extension, and Leon is able to use Lock On.


	6. Heart Like Ice

****

Heart Like Ice

The first dungeon on the list was the Frozen Heart. It was said to be home to the Ice Guardian, Aru Sulato. Lilka felt a trembler through her soul. It was strange to her, in the days of her parents one couldn't even feel a Guardian without an Ark Scepter. But now that the world was back to the way it used to be, a person only had to have a knack for it, like a Shaman or Baskar, and they could do it on their own. Normal humans, however, would always need an Arc Scepter, as it was like an extension of Shamanistic energy, and the Guardians had originally wanted to only contact Shamans and Baskar with their problems.

Inside, the floor was slippery like Ice. Lilka had her mother's Crests, and was able to destroy the pillars of ice that were blocking their path on several areas. Ashley had been given his father's Boomerang, Radar, and Radical Sneakers, so he would be able to help if needed be. Cecille, however, had no Tools.

"How about we ask Uncle Gallows when we're in Baskar," Lilka suggested, "I'm sure he won't mind lending her his Dolls, since the fate of the world is at stake. She seems more used to things like those than Uncle Clive's heavy duty Tools. We can go there after we find this Guardian since we need them."

"We were supposed to go after we fought with Leon. But you had to take this little detour first, eh Lilka? You're always so irresponsible over things like this, it makes me sick sometimes," Ashley stated. He glared at his twin, the cold was beginning to annoy him. Ashley hated anything that had to do with ice and/or frozen temperatures. His theory was that ice stunk of death, while he was connected to the planet when it was alive. Lilka had bought that story, as had his parents, since it was so reasonable.

Cecille reminded him, "We met Florina. Remember? We'd found the information that we were on our way to Baskar to get, so we felt we had no need to go there right away. Might as well get this Guardian first, since it's on our way to the colony. It'll save time in the long run, and we need all we can get."

Ashley saw her argument was as reasonable as his reason for hating the cold. He then threw the Boomerang at a switch that Lilka had just defrosted. The door opened, and the team went inside. There, they got their first look at the room in a Guardian Shrine that was dedicated to the Guardian held inside.

Aru Sulato, the Ice Tiger, materialized in front of them. He looked from person to person, and gave the three young warriors a smile. *You have done well my human friends. I will help you against the coming darkness that encroaches our planet. Take my powers, and make haste to the next shrine.* With that, he became a Medium. Then, he had to decide who would wield him in battle, since all looked so strong.

"Not me," begged Ashley, "Please, Lord Aru Sulato, I hate the cold. It would do you no good to be Invoked by me, I'd just begin shivering uncontrollably. Chose one of the girls to be your wielder, they are much better at their magical powers than I am anyway. I only know magic because I'm a Shaman."

*Very well. I like a man who knows his own limits. Girl child who wields the Sacred Staff. Please take the power I am about to offer you. It is the only way to save this world from the coming evil,* said the Ice Guardian. Then, he floated over to Lilka's hand, and the young girl Invoked the Medium.

* * *

Once out, they headed for Baskar. When they entered, they saw a small boy of about eight coming over to them. He had long blond hair that any girl would envy, and radiant green eyes. The young boy wore the garb of an acolyte of the Baskar's religious order. At once, the twins recognized him.

Lilka exclaimed, "Sydney! Long time no see. Tell me, where's your uncle, we need to ask him if we can borrow some Tools for our journey around the world? We've got to act fast, or an evil force is going to come and destroy Filgaia. The Guardians are asking us to help them destroy it before it destroys us."

Sydney ran towards the house, screaming at the top of his lungs. "UNCLE GALLOWS! LILKA AND ASHLEY ARE HERE TO SEE YOU! AND THEY'VE BROUGHT A FRIEND. IT'S URGENT!"

"Did ya' have to yell Syd?" asked Gallows as he left the house, "Can't you knock on the door like a sane person? I think Granny's getting a headache. And when the old bag gets a headache, it's always 'Get me something to drink, stupid' or 'Bring me my medicine'. Then, she complains about how I never do anything useful around the house, and the only useful thing I ever did was my quest to save the world."

"Sorry Uncle, but it's urgent. The Guardians are choosing new people to save the world, and my cousins need to have some extra Tools to get them through the dungeons. They want to know if they can borrow them from you. Right, you have those old Dolls lying around the house somewhere?" asked Sydney. He was well aware of his uncle's sloppy habits and messy room. It was a wonder that Gallows and his dad were brothers, they couldn't be more different from one another in terms of attitude and habits.

Gallows said, "Say no more Syd. I'll go get them. I didn't fight long and hard for this world just to have it be destroyed seventeen years later. Besides, I can never say no to my favorite non blood niece and nephew." He then went inside. Some time later, he returned with three Dolls. They were given to Cecille, and she began experimenting with shooting off the Freezer Doll on the rocks near the gate.

Lilka smiled at him. "Thank you Uncle Gallows. I'm sure we can find the other Guardians now, we don't have much time." She didn't elaborate on the prophecy, or bring up Leon at all. The young girl thought it was best to leave it simple, so's not to confuse Gallows. Ten to one, although the Gemini Prophecy had been heard of in Baskar as well, he had slept through that part of his grandmother's lesson.

They left the city after prying Cecille off of her practice wall. Then, they looked at the map for their next destination. From the look of things, the closest shrine would be Spark of Life. It was dedicated to the Thunder Guardian, Nua Shaxx. So the trio decided to head there right away, to get it done quickly.

- - - -

****

Sky's Corner

I don't know why she named Shane's son, Syd? There are two plausible answers. One, she was on something. Not likely since Teefa hasn't ever even looked at controlled substances. The second, and most likely, is she took the name of Final Fantasy's inventor/airship expert, and used the spelling from the movie.


	7. Charge Up

****

Charge Up

"Of all Guardians, it had to be Lightning," muttered Cecille, "Can we just skip this one, I'm sure there are others we can use instead. This place makes me feel a little uncomfortable. Hey! I know, there's a cave I've heard about near Fila del Fia, it's probably the resting place of Rigdobrite. We can go there and ask for the help of the Star Guardian." Her face showed signs of nervousness and she turned her head from side to side rapidly, as if she was expecting to be ambushed. She'd been like that ever since they arrived.

The team had finally made it to Spark of Life, in search of Nua Shaxx. Lilka was excited, she loved nothing more than spending a stormy day up in the attic, where one could see the storm best. If it weren't for the fact that lightning was dangerous if you were struck by it, she'd probably have watched it from a tall treetop, or at least the outskirts of the forest, where trees no longer obscured her view of the storm.

"Cecille! Don't tell me you're afraid of lightning. I thought you weren't scared of anything, you're always so brave when we're on an adventure. I haven't heard you cry since that time when you were seven and the monsters cornered you in the shed. You were only just learning attack spells then, so you really couldn't defend yourself. Then my mom ran in and summoned Schturdark to kill them all," stated Ashley.

Cecille replied, "It's not that I'm scared, it's that I don't like lightning. I was born under a water sign so I don't really feel comfortable around its opposite. You two, however, were born under a fire sign, so you mix quite well with lightning. I can stand lightning alright, just don't put me in the middle of a storm, and I'll be just fine." Cecille was always a good source to ask if you wanted to know about Shaman lore, as she'd grown up with her midwife grandmother who insisted she learn everything about her people that she could.

They continued onwards, until they arrived at a door with ornate carvings on it. The carvings looked as if they told a story or something, and were filled with lightning bolts in various places. Lilka looked a little closer. "I think Nua Shaxx is telling a story about his past or something. I can see a symbol that seems to represent Cecilia Adlehyde, Rudy Roughnight, and Jack Van Burace in here, and another that stands for his guarding of a piece of the Demon Queen's heart, in order to keep her from being revived. Both of those are tales that we were all told as children by our parents. There's more, but it's very illegible."

"Correct, those carvings are your pathetic human legends," a voice called out, "But now, you are in my trap. The Gemini, what a foolish prophecy to place faith in. Of all the people the Guardians could have chosen, they chose a trio of whelps fresh out of magic school. If they needed warriors, I think they should have sent someone with more experience. But why should I complain, that makes my job easier."  


A woman entered the room. She had jet black hair and devilish red eyes. Her skin was pale, and tinted with gray. In her hands, she held a long sword and a small cage. The clothing she wore consisted of a low cut black dress with long billowing sleeves, and black heels. But what was most amazing was her hands, instead of finger nails she appeared to have claws that were painted blood red. There was a wicked look in her eyes, as she advanced on the three young Shamans, without even telling them what it was that she wanted. There was no doubt though, she wasn't here to ask them to a party or anything.

"Like the name implies, Gemini, twins. The Guardians had to choose a pair of twins to carry out the mission. And they figured that we'd be more comfortable with our childhood friend than some stranger on the quest," Lilka told her. She then realized she'd left out Leon again. Why didn't she want to speak of the fourth person destined to help save the world? Was it because she was angry at him? Disappointed in him for not fulfilling his destiny? Or could it be something else, something she could not name at the moment?

The woman inquired, "Yes, but what of your mother and Uncle? Surely, they are twins as well. That means the Guardians could have asked them. Their folly has cost you your lives, you will now die by my hands. Then, your souls will belong to me." She held up the cage for the team to see. Now that Lilka got a closer look, she noticed the pain radiating from it. This cage had been used to steal the lives away from humans, and hold their souls prisoner. For what though, she couldn't say at the moment.

But what Lilka did know was that it had to stop, here and now. "Monster! How dare you toy with human lives like that! Just who are you anyway, and where do you come from?" She was dangerously 

close to forgetting her vow of secrecy, bringing out Dist Dims, and laying the smack down on the woman with a well placed Saint spell. But Lilka kept her calm, something she did with relative ease.

"My name, is Oni, and I am a Demoness," she stated, "I was growing in a tank, from cells taken from other Demons, when those foolish Drifters came to attack the Deus Ex Machina. Luckily, my tank was fortified, and I managed to live to this day. Now, I will destroy all is good and peaceful on Filgaia."

Suddenly, a white glow emitted from the door. Lilka hurried to open it. A Medium flew out at once, sparking all over the place and scaring Oni a little. One bolt hit her cage, causing it to blow up. Then, the Medium landed in Ashley's hands. The boy Invoked the Guardian right away, and looked at it.

*My powers are yours, Shaman child. You must stop this madwoman's scheme, before all of your parents' and uncles' hard work is turned to ashes. Let both your Shaman and Filgaian powers work in sync with one another, to end this new period of bloodshed and sorrow,* begged Nua Shaxx.

Oni stated, "I have to go now. Without my cage, I need a new way to steal the souls of humans who attempt to defy me. But mark my words, I will return here soon. Then, you will wish you had just given me your souls without a fight." She teleported out, leaving her laugh behind with them.

Cecille looked from Lilka, to Ashley. She blushed a little, he was her protector, and surrogate big brother figure. She wondered if he liked her the way she liked him. "So, where to now? Our enemy has been ascertained, and we've got to hurry up and stop her before her plans come to fruition. I'll bet any amount of Gella she wants to do what the demons who made her tried to do, and terraform Filgaia."

"If I was a betting man, I'd agree," replied Ashley, "But you've already given us our next move. Remember the cave you told us about? I'd say that's the next place we should go to find a Guardian."

"Then let's set out right away, before there isn't a Filgaia to save," said Lilka.

- - - -

Sky's Corner

As you can tell from the name of our villainess (oni=fiend), Teefa has found her Japanse Dictionary. She's now lost the notebook with all of her parody songs in it. Since she's looking for it now, I will be catering to you. Ack! I nearly forgot to introduce the last chapter Guardian. So she doesn't kill me…

~Aru Sulato~

Fridgid: Ice attack

Scanner: Like Analyze

Crack: Drops DEF

Shatter: Drops MGR

(PS: Ice Ward, Glass Ward, Initiative)  


~Nua Shaxx~

Plasma: Lightning attack

Spark: Ups speed

Static: Heals status ailments

Shocker: Paralyzes an enemy

(PS: Thunder Ward, Paralysis Ward, Eagle Eye)

You really can tell this woman is cloned from the other Demons, she's got Leehalt's hair, Melody's figure, Malik's youthful air, and Sigfried's eyes (mutters) most likely they were red under that helmet of his, since red eyes look good when talking about demons.


	8. Star Power

****

Star Power

"I just don't get it," said Ashley, "I mean, Malik couldn't even restore his mother with all that Demon technology, and he had all her memories to impute, just couldn't do it. So how can the whole lot of them make a new life on their own, give her memories of her creators, and then bring her into this world? There's got to be a piece of the puzzle we're missing, maybe she's not who she says she is. Perhaps an orphan of some sorts that Leehalt took in. Uncle Vincent would know if anyone like that lived with them."

"Remember, Mother said that it seemed as if Malik did all his work on his own. He might not have asked for help in restoring memories, so he never got it. And in the case of his mother, she was a human being. Thus, nanomachines couldn't be used to salvage her form. But Oni is a Demon, so they could use more complex technology that would render her body that of a Demon. Hey! You two come up with some better theory! I'm sick of being the brains of this outfit, just like when we were children," quipped Lilka.

Ashley shut up instantly. Not because he didn't want to argue with his twin, but because they'd arrived at Fila del Fia. The cave nearby wasn't too hard to point out, it was almost as if it were screaming out, "here I am, a Guardian's shrine". Lilka took a look inside, and then motioned for her brother and friend to follow. Once they were all in the cave, they looked around, seeing what they were now up against.

Cecille exclaimed, "Why, this place is like a town! I'd bet you any amount of money that those who survived the crashing of the flying city made this place so they could survive. They must have worked hard to dig all of this out of rock, and then build all of these houses. I wonder if they left anything behind that can help us on our journey." She looked at what appeared to be archaic weapons like swords and staves.

Lilka picked up a ruined wizard's rod. "They say that Fila del Fia was created by the woman who was given the Teardrop by the Guardians. Her son, unable to control its powers, since males weren't as connected as females, ended up canceling the spell and the city crashed. Then, they moved to another part of the planet and built a city that stayed on the ground. Maybe, just maybe, this was where they stayed until a suitable place could be found for their home, it had to be in a tranquil area if their king was a sorcerer, if his powers got out of hand it could cause a great calamity for the entire population of the planet."

"Don't scare me," begged Cecille, "That's quite an unsettling prospect. So, where should we go from here? All I know is that Rigdobrite apparently lives in this old crater. You're the perceptive one among us, Lilka, can you sense where he is?" She looked at her friend with big, irresistible, pleading eyes.

"Just concentrate, Cecille. You too Ashley. If we all use our senses, one of us is bound to find the way to go in order to find where the Star Guardian is," stated Lilka. She began to concentrate, as did the two who were with her. Power could be sensed from every corner of the area, it was as if the scent of magic was in the air. Finally, Lilka sensed a spiritual presence from the center of the three paths in front of her. She called out to the others, "Guys, let's go that way! I can feel a Guardian from the middle path!"

The trio went down the middle path, fighting the monsters that made the old city their home. In only a few minutes, they'd found another Guardian Altar. Not one, but two Guardians were part of it. One was the Star Guardian, Rigdobrite. The other seemed to be the Sword Guardian, Equitess. They took it as good fortune, and walked a little closer. Cecille timidly stepped up to the altar, knowing she was the only person without a second Guardian. She was the one who must claim one of these two. But they had no idea who 

would get the second one, it would be for the Guardians to decide who could wield their powers.

Cecille swallowed hard, and looked at the altar. *Excuse me, Rigdobrite, Equitess. Could you help the three of us on our mission? We've got to fulfill the Gemini Prophecy. If it's not too much trouble, can we count on your help. But if you're busy, then I guess we'll have to understand that and search for another set of Guardians to aid us in the fight instead. We wouldn't want to waste your time if you can't help out. I'm sorry, I spoke out of turn. Please, great Guardians forgive us of our intrusions.* There was a slight whimper in her voice that no one had seen before. Perhaps her upbringing didn't leave room for such occurrences.

*You are a funny one, child,* Rigdobrite replied, *I can see the fear in your heart. But don't worry, we have no intention of doing harm to one of our Shaman children. Of course we'll help you. Take my power with you, and use it to stop this wicked Demon before Filgaia is engulfed in her evil.* With that, the Star Guardian became a Medium. He floated into Cecille's hands, and she Invoked him right away.

*There should be four, where is the last one? Why does he shirk his responsibility as a chosen one who is destined to fight this Demon? You must get him to understand the truth of the matter. Now that I am released, I can find him,* Equitess said. Then, he flew out of the cave as a Medium, looking for Leon.

Ashley stated, "That makes our job twice as easy, we're not arguing over Guardians. Only four more need to be found. We must make Leon understand the truth in order to claim his Guardian. If we can talk to him one more time, after Equitess is done with him, then maybe it will be possible."  


Cecille giggled. "And we can hook him and Lilka up on a date together. He so's got a crush on her. You could tell it in everything her did. Almost like Aunt Virginia and Uncle Jet, don't you think?"

"I don't think my dad was half as stubborn as him," Lilka told her, "At least he consented to go along with the others, even if his reasons were biased and selfish. But that's not a necessary part of this conversation. Let's find the last four Guardians, before something else happens. Like Oni destroying the whole world." Then, she left the cave, with the other two following close behind her lead.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

I had parties both yesterday and last Friday. Lots of fun. Well, new Guardians.

~Rigdobrite~

Meteor: Normal attack

Canceler: Cancels an enemy's stats

Syphon: Steals HP  
Eternity: Like Permeance

(PS: Misery Ward, Bronze Ward, FP Save)  
  
~Equitess~

Just Sword: Normal attack

Imbed: Like Attachment

Sword of Truth: Next shot is Critical

Sword of Defense: Counters next blow

(PS: Critical, Sleep Ward, Gella Boost)


	9. Looking For Directions

****

Looking for Directions

"I'm telling you, if we'd only brought the map back in Little Rock, we'd be at Humphrey's Peak by now. But nooooooooooo. . .you had to be the epitome of a man and not ask for directions, Ashley," Lilka yelled at her brother. Although the young princess hated arguments, especially if she was in them, she did make an exception for sibling rivalry. Especially when his impossibility got them all into a sticky situation.

Suddenly, they saw a Dragon fly overhead. It seemed almost impossible to fathom, Lombardia was living on her mountain unless Virginia called her. After the Enduros built a home of their own, their old friend had returned to the volcano she called home. But she'd left Virginia with a special whistle, one that she could hear all around the world. If it was urgent for them to go somewhere, they called her. However, the twins hadn't bothered to borrow it from their mother, so they couldn't have called Lombardia for help.

As you may have guessed, the creature wasn't Lombardia. It had pure black scales, with razor sharp talons. The eyes were red, and knife like claws were on its wing tips. This monster let out a roar of pure terror, and there was no doubt in the mind of the three adventurers as to where it had come from. One look in its eyes told them that Oni had sent the beast as an assassin, hoping to kill all of them at once.

Lilka yelled, "Ok, Ashley, take the left flank. Cecille, attack from the right. I'll go at its head. If the three of us work together, we can take the beast down no problem. Just use your best attacks." At once, the young woman charged up the power of Iona Pau, and cast Nova. From the power level of the attack, they all assumed that the beast was weak against Light Elemental attacks. A lucky break for them all.

Ashley brought out his Crest Graph, and cast Saint. Cecille followed suit with the same. But just before Lilka could cast one, the Dragon struck out with its tail. All three Drifter children found themselves knocked off their feet. Getting back up, Lilka fired her own Saint. But the Dragon had found their tactics out and dodged by flying up into the air. Then, it used its Firebreath. All three found themselves near dead.

Just then, a shot rang out. A blond woman wearing a blue dress with blue ribbons in her hair and hazel eyes came running out at the wicked creature. On her shoulder was a large rifle. The beast noticed her, and turned towards its new target. Again, the girl fired a shell. But it didn't appear as if she had added bullet capacity, and was out of shots. Lilka stood in order to help, but before she could do so the girl began to charge up her Gatling. Unlike an ordinary Gatling, however, this used her fists. They appeared to be even more powerful than her ARM, and she appeared to be knocking the Dragon around, until it was down on the ground. The monster let out a last groan, and was still. Then, it vanished, turning into some Gella.

The girl turned towards the team, and smiled. "Well, it appears as if that creature couldn't stand up to a Finest Arts. I'm lucky my father gave me his old Mediums while I was running errands. So, Lil, Ash, what brings you out here? I thought you and your parents were living in the forests on the island north of Boot Hill. Didn't think you would both come out here with one of your friends one day without them."

"It's an emergency Kaitlyn," Lilka stated, "Those Prophets who our parents fought left a little legacy behind in case they failed. Now the demon they created has begun attacking people to gain human souls. I need to speak with your father, he might know the reasons behind her needing the souls of human beings."

"You don't have to tell me twice I can lead you to Humphrey's Peak if you're lost. Let's get going now. If the situation is as urgent as the two of you seem to think it is, we should get there immediately," the young woman said. With that, she took off towards her hometown with Lilka and her team right behind.

* * *

Clive pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, and told them, "I have a whole volume dedicated to demons that steal the souls of humans. From what it says, they would use them to enhance their own power. Now that Leehalt told us about how humans are descended of the lesser race of these demons, it is sensible to say that it was one of their purposes as a servant race in the ancient times. Maybe that is the reason that humanity's ancestors broke away from their overlords, and eventually sided with Filgaia."

Ashley looked at his hands. "So, her soul cage was intended to gain the necessary energy that would be lost after the destruction of the Deus ex Machina. Leehalt and the others must have figured on the fact that their deaths would equal the loss of all of the energy sources they could utilize to transform Filgaia into a planet of demons. Souls could very well be what they thought to use as a substitute for mechanics."

"We better stop her before she finds a new means for stealing souls!" Cecille exclaimed, "Time may have been brought by Nua Shaxx when he destroyed her Soul Cage, but eventually she can find another way. Maybe she was only programmed to create one, one wasn't provided. Then she can make another."

"Clive, where would you say a good place to find information about the other Guardians? There should be four more missing ones, if the ancient Shaman legend is correct. I asked High Priestess Halle, but she reminded us that they were just that, missing. Even the Baskar have no idea where they are. Is there an old ruin nearby that was only recently discovered or something?" Lilka inquired of her uncle.

Clive replied, "There are no ruins that I can think of, but I have heard rumors of an informant who lives on the island off the west coast of this town, the coast near West Highlands Station. But I have no information as to if he lives in a house, a cave, or even camps out in the woods. There isn't even any proof as to the gender of this person, for all I know, the informant can be a woman. That is the best I can do, I'm afraid. If there is any other way I can be of assistance, please feel free to let me know right away, Lilka."

The girl looked at him. "What you can do is to let us stay for the night, I mean you know I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to taste some of Catherine's good cooking. And if you could call on Lombardia to bring us to the island tomorrow, that would be a great assistance. We have no other way to climb the cliffs."

Clive agreed. By that time, dinner was finished, and the three joined the Winslett family for the meal. As well as Kaitlyn's new boyfriend, Roberto. He was a Drifter who had wandered into town only a few weeks ago, wounded. Kaitlyn had nursed him back to health, and now he was living with them. After dinner was over, the team went to the ARMs shop to fix up their weapons. They then relaxed until it was time for bed. That night, Lilka dreamt of fire and destruction, and the four warriors. She wished with all her heart she could get Leon to stop being so stubborn, to follow his destiny and help them to save the world.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Big revelation in the next chapter people. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…don't know what else to say, shoulda ran off to play games and let Sky take care of this.


	10. Wounded

****

Wounded

As the team was going through a forest, looking for the locations of the final four Guardians, they came upon a very gory sight. Monster bodies lay everywhere, as if someone had been on a killing spree in this forest. On closer inspection, the team could see that four types of guns had been used. Those types were, you guessed it, a machine gun, a pistol, a bazooka, and a Gatling gun. There was no doubt in the minds of anyone gathered there at who had been shooting all of the monsters he could find around here.

"Looks like we might get our talk with Leon after all," muttered Ashley, "If he tries to hit on my big sister in any way, I'm going to kill him with my bare hands. Maybe if I borrow the Violator from Uncle Clive then I can really kick his butt. Or, I could always send him into oblivion with my own magical powers."  


"Ashley, you're scaring me," Cecille replied. She held out her map, trying to see where exactly they were. Then, her eyes brightened as she looked at a spot in the corner of the forest. Cecille told the twins, "Hey, we've got some good luck here! We're right near a mansion. Maybe we'll live a night in luxury for once. I could certainly use a nice hot bath and something besides these travel rations to eat."

Ashley looked over her shoulder at the house on the map. The second he lay eyes on it, however, he turned as white as a sheet. Lilka began to wonder what was up with her brother, he never spooked this easily. And she well remembered the kidnapping incident of ten and a half years ago. How could one be able to forget the sight of his or her mother lying in a pool of blood, dead to the world. Or how the power of the High Guardians had brought her back to life, restored her memories, and allowed them to meet their long lost father, who their mother had believed dead after the accident she had been in before their birth.

She gave her brother a playful pinch on his arm. "So, what's got you so spooked? You look like a monster that happened to come face to face with Dad's gun after it decided to bite Mom in the arm. Does it have something to do with our accommodations for this evening, or is it a private joke of yours?"

"It's the house," he told her, "The map says it's the Schroedinger place, and you know who lives in that house. Ma's old rival, Maya Schroedinger. Do you think I really want to deal with that witch at a time like this? She'll just start foaming at the mouth over whatever jewels she happens to be looking at."

"Well, we have to go there. Where else can we resupply in this area? This is an out of the way place, no other humans live close enough to help us. So, we have no other choice in the matter. Besides, I can take on Maya if she gets to be a bit of a pain in the rear end towards us," Lilka told the other two.

Suddenly, they heard a human male's scream. When the team followed it, they saw Leon at the mercy of a giant bear like creature. Its fur was a brownish black, and its eyes were blood red. The boy was lying on the ground, blood pouring out of a wound on his back. If he wasn't helped soon, he'd die.

Lilka grabbed her pistols out of her holsters and shot. Instantly, the creature's attention was turned towards the girl. She yelled, "Cecille! Heal Leon up with your magic. I can take care of this Demon on my own. Ashley, you help her save his life. I know you don't like him, but you have to do this. Remember, we are here to save the world, and we can't let our destined ally just die of a minor monster's attack."

With that, she cast Scanner on the monster. It was named Kuma, a Dark Elemental, and weak to the powers of Light. Lilka then began to Summon Iona Paua. She looked as a centaur with a white horse's body and tanned human skin fell down from the sky. He lifted up a Lance, and sent his powers through it. Then, the magic collided with the monster. Although it didn't kill it, Iona Paua's attack had done some bit of good. For now Kuma was on the defensive, leaving itself open to any of Lilka's attacks. She shot with her pistols, in order to gain FP. Once back at ten FP, she cast Nova on it. Kuma began to convulse from all of the light that had entered its body. Then, the monster fell to the ground in front of them, dead.

Lilka breathed heavily. After catching her breath, she turned towards her allies. "Is he going to be ok? You know that I'm not going to tolerate any failure to save his life. It'll be such a pain to find another person to help us out after that." What she neglected to say was how strangely attracted she was to him.

"We stopped the bleeding," Cecille said, "And he'll live. But we need to get him to lie down for a short while. We'd best head out for the Schroedinger household right away. Even if Maya is the person who annoys the heck out of you, we'd better make sure to think of his health before we complain. For like you said, Lilka, there's no town for miles around and I don't think the grass will be good for his back."

They made a stretcher to carry him on out of sticks and a cloth blanket. Then, Ashley and Cecille each took a side while Lilka put him on the blanket. The three set out, heading for the residence where the greatest rival Virginia Maxwell ever had lived, hoping that she wasn't as bad as they remembered her to be.

* * *

Todd opened the door for the four travelers. He eyed both Ashley and Lilka, apparently recognizing them as the children of Virginia and Jet Enduro. The eyes told everything when you looked at Lilka, while the hair did it for Ashley. Cuz silver hair and purple eyes were two of the rarer colors on Filgaia.

"What can I do for the two of you today. It is quite a rare occasion. Both Milady and her consort are in the residence, usually one or the other is out on a mission searching for gems. Master Alfred is here as well. If you have come to deliver a message, I'll let you through," he told the youths.

Lilka begged, "Please, let us use one of your bedrooms. Our ally has been wounded in a fight with a Kuma in the forest, and we must help him to get better. He needs to relax on a nice bed, which we have none of, and the town is too far away for it to be of any use to our band of adventurers."

Todd opened the door even further. "Then by all means, get him upstairs. The young Master is away, you can use his room. He won't mind when I tell him. First door on the right on the second floor hallway if you just come up the stairs and are heading towards the kitchen."

They went upstairs to put Leon in bed. Lilka watched over him, as her father used to do to her mother. She wasn't worried at all, Cecille was flawless at healing. It just comforted her to be able to see him. Maybe she was attracted to him. He was kind of handsome, just needed a little push like her dad. Her thoughts never ever turned to why Todd had said that Alfred was home, but then the "Young Master" was out. After all, weren't they the same person?

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Kuma means bear in Japanese. I always do use the dictionary.


	11. The Boy of Destiny

****

The Boy of Destiny

When Leon woke up, he saw Lilka sitting upright in a chair, fast asleep. Instantly, he felt a little bit of protectiveness for the girl. But he couldn't really do anything at the moment, he was still too weak. The boy just lay down, waiting for her to wake up and talk to him. He suddenly found he wanted her company.

'Lilka, is that what your name is?' he asked himself, 'The Guardian of Sword told me about you. I wonder, why is it that you have attracted me so? I never questioned myself so much until I met you. You have this air about you, it calms me. For the son of such a notable Drifter as Mother to fall for a woman as I have, it's just too hard to believe. But there's no other explanation as to why I'm acting like this. Maybe you'll have the answers that I require when you wake up. Until then, rest Lady Drifter, rest and recover.'

* * *

When Lilka woke up, she saw Leon was no longer unconscious. Her attention immediately turned towards the boy. She checked the wound site on his back, and saw that the scar was white, blending in with his skin perfectly. He didn't scream when she touched it, leading her to believe either the pain went away when Cecille healed him, or he had enough willpower not to scream when he was being examined.

"Thank the Guardians, you're going to be just fine. I was worried when I saw you fall, but now that you've recovered I'm sure you're going to be on your way soon. After all, you don't appear to be the type who sticks to one place for too long," stated Lilka. She instantly felt a pang in her heart, she wanted him to stay with her on this quest, or at least let their short stay at the Schroedinger household be longer.

He told her, "You know what, I've decided to come with you and your friends. That Sword Guardian is just too persistent, I had to agree with him. In fact, I was looking for you guys when I was attacked by the Kuma. What a dumb name for a monster anyway, if only it hadn't gotten me from behind I would have been able to take care of it. But I was ambushed by three of them, took care of two, and the last one got me."

She could see Equitess sweatdropping. *Actually, Lady Lilka, he only just decided to come with you, in fact it was the second he woke up and saw you. And there was only one Kuma, it didn't ambush him either. This boy is just a tad overconfident in his abilities, and likes to brag, a lot. He thinks it's a good way to impress beautiful young ladies like yourself. Or, to be more precise, a beautiful princess in the case in front of me. I can tell you are the descended of my ancient masters, Cecilia Adlehyde, Rudy Roughnight, and Jack Van Burace, your energy patterns are too great to even be a normal Shaman child, Miss Lilka.*

"Oh be quiet," demanded Leon, "How come a Shaman would be helping to save the world anyway, when they are the servants and callers of Demons? Come to think of it, why would such a person be the caller of a Guardian in the first place? Or were there a few rogue Guardians and/or Shamans about?"

*That's because Shamans never called a Demon. They were blamed because they were calling on the Guardians for protection in that time, and people just wanted to punish someone for what had happened to them. Ok, so Luceid was a rogue for awhile, helping out the Demons in the Second Demon War, but 

still. And in those times I just mentioned there was only one Shaman per generation, until the twins of Rudy and Cecilia were born. It was then that we told them of the Gemini prophecy, which you are supposed to help fulfill. Erin Adlehyde didn't want to embrace her destiny, and ran from home. I went with her on her trip, in order to keep her out of trouble, and was able to see her fall in love and get married. Her husband was a Butch Maxwell, if I remember correctly, son of Jane Maxwell, the Dream Chaser,* he answered.

Lilka exclaimed, "He's my ancestor on my mother's father's side of the family! Mother's mother was the descendant of the Adlehyde Royal Family. I didn't know Shaman blood, even the blood of one who had denied her destiny ran in grandpa's side. You find something new out every day it seems."

Leon looked at her. "Calamity Jane's descendant, eh? My mom's heard of her, she's a famous girl from history. Ma always looked up to her as a girl, since she was one woman who would kick the butt of those people who got in her way. She acts like that in a sense, I've personally seen it many times."

"Todd! You moron!" a voice yelled from the hall, "Why in the world did you let some kid who was wounded sleep in my son's room? I don't think he's going to like it when he returns from his trip. I swear, my whole team was incompetent. Except for Percival, he actually knows what he's doing in battle."

"But Milady, the boy needed a place to rest. There isn't a town for miles, he might have been cut on a tree limb or root sticking out of the ground and they wouldn't be able to help him in time since he'd already lost blood. Think of what might have been, if we hadn't lent a hand," Todd's voice said.

A second male voice told him, "Still, it's his decision. You could have used my room."  


The woman seemed to be getting exasperated. "Percival, dear heart, you're not helping any. Do you think I want to be sleeping in bloody sheets tonight? Or on the couch? If anyone ended up in the doghouse for this one, it would be Todd, for letting a wounded boy sleep in my son's bed."

"I'm not bleeding," called Leon, "The sheets aren't messed up. The blood was stopped before we arrived, heck, even before Lilka was able to take care of the monster that maimed me in combat."

In came Todd with Maya and another man. This one had dark brown hair worn long, and brown eyes. He looked about the same age as the woman, and had on cowboy boots, a cowboy print jacket, tan pants, a red shirt, and a seemingly relieved smile. It brightened when he saw Leon.

"I knew I recognized that voice. Welcome home Son. I'm sure glad you found some partners to hang with, you don't know how worried your mother was when you ran off, leaving only a note to tell her that you were planning on going out to become a Drifter," Percival stated.

Lilka exclaimed, "You're Maya Schroedinger's son! Oh, Guardians how ironic."

Leon looked back at her. "Same to you. I knew the second you said you were the descendant of Calamity Jane that you must be the daughter of Virginia Maxwell. If this isn't weird, then what is?"

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

If you were wondering where Maya's husband and child were in earlier stories, here's your answer. Well, they had a three year old they couldn't just leave him alone or take him along. Someone had to stay with the baby, while the other four went out to search for treasures. Basically, Percival is a little bit whipped, if I'm using the terminology correctly.


	12. Legend of the Heavenly Quartet

****

Legend of the Heavenly Quartet

After sorting everything out, they joined Maya and her family for dinner. Leon, still a little bit aching from his ordeal, had to be carried by his parents. Lilka sat next to him, beginning to understand where in the world he had come from. If Leon was raised by Maya, he probably picked up some of her habits over the years. With what she'd heard of Maya Schroedinger, now Maya Vanderbuilt, she was a big hunter of priceless gems. She'd also refused Virginia's many pleas for help in fighting off the Demons and saving the planet from destruction. That went a long way of explaining why he had refused their team at first.

Maya hadn't, as things turned out, been injured in an accident. Leon had just been trying to brag about how his mother had let him go out on a journey of his own. She was a perfectly healthy woman who just spent a little more time at home than she used to. Well, she was nearly forty years old, her youth was fading with every trial. Even Virginia wasn't as interested in adventure as she'd been ten years ago.

"So, you're trying to save the world," stated Maya, "And the Demon in question is the cloned child of those creeps who stole the Teardrop that was meant for me. That's it, I'm getting steamed. Leon! You must get revenge for what those fools had done to me and my team in the past. Nobody makes a fool of me and gets away with it. Since you've been chosen, you must go and do this for me, immediately!"

'I don't think I could live with that woman on a daily basis. She's beginning to scare me. I feel sorry for Leon, having to put up with her as his mother. But it seems like she loves her boy, despite her harsh words. Reminds me of all of the days when my mother lost her memory, and was Megami. Now that I think of it, Maya does sort of resemble Megami. If they both weren't hard headed, they could have been friends. Nah, maybe not. They would have been too alike, and annoy each other endlessly,' thought Ashley.

Lilka said, "We're searching for the Guardians in order to help us. Mom, Dad, Uncle Gallows, and Uncle Clive each have three, and the four of us have two apiece. We can hold a third, but don't know where they might be. If you've ever heard rumors of Guardian Shrines, can you tell us about their locations?"

Maya began to think. "There's a legend I have thought of, one that reminds me of Guardians. It says, 'The Heavenly Quartet resides in the Golden Land. They lie in wait for the Gemini to claim them and fight against the evils. Let the power inside of you be your guide, and lead towards your destiny.' Does that sound like something that is familiar to the two of you? Is this talking about the last four Guardians?"  


"They mention the Gemini you guys!" exclaimed Cecille, "That's the prophecy we're supposed to be fulfilling. These must be the ones we have to find, I'd bet you any amount of money that this Golden Land is the location of our next Guardians. But where in the heck is the Golden Land, the story didn't state that. And that just happens to be the most important part of this whole quest, finding where they are."

"I haven't gotten to that part yet. 'The Land of Gold is where the Shaman Princess spent the days when she was a mere whelp. Find her, and you find the Heavenly Quartet.' Shaman Princess, where would a girl who is descended from the Demon Callers live? And why would she reveal herself to anyone, when people would do anything in order to kill a Shaman for fame or monetary gain?" Maya wondered.

Lilka asked, "Are they talking about a generation before the prophecy? The present generation? Or one of the past generations that we'd have a hard time deciding where in the heck to start looking for her."

Maya sighed. "From the looks of things, it appears to be the generation one behind the one that is taking part in the Gemini Prophecy. You'd have to find someone who is of my generation to even start your search for the Shaman Princess. What, do you have an idea of where to look to find her homeland?"  


Of course Lilka did. If it was the past generation, it would be talking about her mother. Virginia had grown up in Boot Hill. That would be the place they could start looking for the Golden Land and Heavenly Quartet of Guardians. She politely thanked Maya for her advice. Then, they relaxed a bit for the rest of the night. When it got late, the team went to bed in several of the guest rooms that were in the Schroedinger manor. In the morning, they were on their way again, heading towards the little town of Boot Hill.

* * *

"Ruins, near here?" asked Shalte, "You've heard of a place where four powerful Guardians lie, and the rumors say they're by Boot Hill. That's weird, I've never heard of any of them around here. They must be mistaken, I've lived here all my life and neither Tesla nor I have found any in the immediate area."

"A prophecy speaks of them, Aunt Shalte. I think I can find them. They have to be hidden in the mountains near town. I've been using my energy to figure the estimated area. And you know that my senses are never wrong. I just wanted to find an exact location," Lilka told her great-aunt.

Shalte said, "Take this extra rations for your journey. You remind me much of your mother when she was young, I always knew you'd turn out to be just like her. Just don't go getting yourself killed, I could never bear it if something happened to members of my own family. Lilka, take care of yourself, and the rest of your friends. Make sure you keep your brother out of trouble, you know how he can be."

Lilka thanked her great-aunt for the supplies. Then, she packed up in preparation for their journey. Once everything was ready, she and the others began to leave the town. Soon, they managed to find a cave in the side of the mountains near town. Energy blazed from it, it was clear that the Heavenly Ones slept in that ruin. They went inside, and the door slammed behind them.

Cecille freaked. "Open up! Open up! Oh by the Guardians don't let us be trapped in this place for the rest of our lives in this dang cave! What have I ever done to deserve this awful fate!"

"Don't worry, Cecille," said Lilka, "Once we find the Heavenly Quartet, then we'll be able to open the door. That's why no one has ever found this place, they only opened it for us because of the prophecy. Now, they have to make sure no one else gets in to harm us. When we've fulfilled our duty, the door will open again, and we can continue our hunt for Oni with four new allies on our side."

- - - -

****

Sky's Corner

Teefa deserted me again! All because she wanted to watch Kenshin. Darn girl. Well, here's sort of a less powerful version of High Guardians for them to look for.


	13. Monk, Sorceress, Valkyrie, Serpent

****

Monk, Sorceress, Valkyrie, Serpent

Lilka used her powers to make a light for them to follow. Since Leon had been briefed on their true identities, they could use Crest Sorcery freely while in his presence. She began to lead them down the only corridor in the cave, looking for where the Heavenly Quartet might lie. It became apparent early on why this was called the Golden Land, every part of the cave was made of solid gold, every brick, every unlit lamp.

"I wish these lamps still worked," muttered Lilka, "My magic will fade fast if I keep using it like this. When I use it too much, I've got to eat more in order to stay alert. We'll run out of rations, and I'll still be as weak as a newborn kitten. Cecille, if I start to get tired, I want you to spell me for a little while."

"Me! Why me? Certainly Ashley would be a better choice for using magic like that than me. He's of royal blood, even if he's not the heir. That must make him a stronger mage than someone who had an ancestor from that period in time who was no more than a palace maid who married an outsider even before the Shamans were blamed for the Demon and hunted like they were wild animals," Cecille complained.

Lilka told her friend, "I believe in you, Cecille. Besides, you can heal with your Medium if your Crest Sorcery burns all of your energy. Mom told me that the Mediums don't drain your energy like regular magic, as we're being supplemented by the Guardian's power. Ashley and I don't have that luxury about now."

Just then, all of the lamps in the corridor were lit. Lilka and Leon stepped out in front, expecting an attack of some sorts. But nothing happened, it was as if all of this little mess was just a probing attack of sorts, most likely to test the extent of the warriors' courage and determination to see this thing through.

They continued on, until they found a room with four gold alters. The team looked at them from left to right. A humanoid tiger in a gi with his fist punching an unseen enemy was engraved on the first one. The second one had a carving of a beautiful sorceress in a flowing gown casting a spell. Third, they found a picture of a Valkyrie, a woman in an ornate helmet with wings on it and a sword in her hand. Finally, on the fourth one, was a large sea serpent, riding what appeared to be a tidal wave. All of them radiated power that was so strong, a normal human might just go blind. Fortunately, these aren't normal humans. They were protected by other Guardians, and three of them just happened to be Shamans. Lilka and Ashley were also used to seeing the four High Guardians together from gatherings with their Uncles, and Cecille had been at some of those as well. And this wasn't as strong as the High Guardians, although it is close.

*Gunner Lad,* a voice stated from the first pedestal on the right, the one with the serpent carving on it, *Take my powers with you. I can feel your ever changing mind, like the seas that never stay the same. Our natures are like that of one another, I'm sure we can become the best of allies in the battles ahead of us. Take care, for dark times threaten the place we all call home, and the people that live here as well."

With that, the first of four Mediums came down from the rightmost pedestal. It landed in Leon's palm, and he Invoked it. This Medium belonged to Lucadia, the Sea Guardian. She had vanished after the Yggdrasil turned Filgaia into a sea of sand, as there was no need for a Sea Guardian without a sea. But now that the seas had returned, so had Lucadia. She looked relieved for things to be normal once more.  


*Sorceress, I beseech you to take my sword as your own. You may be timid among our race, but there is no need to fear around me. I am a benevolent Divine Being, unlike that Demon that wishes to do our beloved Filgaia harm. Use my powers to show her the truth of what we are, and the peace that we hope to achieve among all people in this world, Shaman or not.* said the voice in the second pedestal from the right.

A Medium burst out from it again. This one went to Cecille, landing in her hands. The girl Invoked her new Guardian instantly. This one was Larin Mai, the Guardian of War. More specifically, women at war. She and Equitess were rumored to be lovers, but that's not the point of this story. The point is she's not one to be messed with. Her trust in Cecille would be a confidence booster for the young Shaman.

The one second from left called out, *Boy who wields the power of magic, accept my powers to aid you on your quest. You must never give in to despair, always hope for the future. Then again, your father does wield the Guardian of Hope, so I guess that goes without saying for you. I can feel the control you will have over my magic, in order to destroy the ambitions of this female Demon who has appeared before us They never learn what fools they are for trying to pick a fight with the Guardians of Filgaia and their avatars.*

This Medium ended up going to Ashley, who Invoked her. He had control over the Guardian of the Sky, Rei Kaze. She was sort of an upgraded Fengalon, like Lucadia was an upgraded Schturdark. But her magical properties were immense. She could rip apart her enemies with relative ease, perfect for a boy who wanted to get this mission over with as soon as possible and return to his home in the woods.

The final Medium began to float in thin air, coming from the leftmost pedestal. *Although heir to the magical lineage of Shamans, your physical powers are nothing to sneeze at. Let me strengthen your arms, giving you the power to kill your enemies with whatever powers you want. My energy becomes yours, your magical capacity will greatly increase from just Invoking me. You'll need it, with this witch running around.*

She too began to descend, this time towards Lilka. The girl Invoked this Guardian as well. It was Tora Jitsu, Guardian of Power. Practically the only female Guardian relying on strength, except for Larin Mai, she would add much to Lilka's power level. With her help, Lilka could kill the enemies that got in her path with only her bare hands, leaving her magic free to take on those that were really dangerous.

"We've got them all now," Lilka stated, "Let's go and find the location of Oni's base. We've got to stop her now, before she does something like her wicked donors and terraforms Filgaia into an inhabitable planet for humans. If she wishes to do something like that, she'll have to go through us first."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Here's what each one means. Lucadia was in WA1, I've mentioned or used her in other fics. Larin Mai was made up for Wild DESTINY, an IAQ I might add to my site in the future. Rei Kaze means Zero Wind. Tora is tiger in Japanese, and Jitsu is short for jujitsu, a form of martial arts. Here are your Guardian skills.

~Tora Jitsu~

Fury: Ups ATT

Terror: Ups MAG

Scare: Drops ATP

Whimper: Drops MAG

(PS: Regenerator, Lifebringer, MTC Restore)

~Rei Kaze~

Gale: Wind attack

Aero: Ups dodging ability

Lessen: Like Weaken 

Trick: Steals an item

(PS: Wind Ward, Force Charge, FP Plus)

~Larin Mai~

Inferno: Fire attack

Down 'em: Normal attack

Lull: Puts to sleep

Lock: Like Status Lock

(PS: Fire Ward, Weakness, Life Charge)

~Lucadia~

Flood: Water attack

Drag: Escapes battle

Surf: Repeat an action

Starfish: Normal attack

(PS: Water Ward, Luck Boost, Disarm)


	14. Plan For Combat

****

Plan For Combat

They returned to Boot Hill, and held a strategy meeting. Now that they had the Guardians, the only thing left to do would be to track down Oni, and kill her. But nobody had the slightest idea where she might be. Lilka had listened to the boys arguing about what to do for about ten minutes before her temper reached critical mass. "That's it! If you two can't behave like rational and civilized people, then I'm leaving. I think a lot better when I'm on my own anyway. I'll be taking a ride on Cocoa if you are interested in talking this out once again." Then, she left the house in a huff, slamming the door behind her and causing Cecille to jump.

"Hey, Ashley?" asked Leon, "What did we do to make her angry? Ok, so we were a little loud, but we were trying to figure out a course of action. I just don't get her, she wanted me to help, then she ran out on us because we were arguing. Is there something wrong that I did, and don't know it?" He found himself blushing, he wanted to know all about the fiery Shaman Princess, but hadn't the courage to ask.

"She doesn't like when people fight. Before we were born, our dad and Uncle Gallows were always having fights over such things as this. Mom and Dad fought too, mostly about silly things and personality flaws they found in each other. And your mom and our mom were always fighting. But our mother never did like arguments, whether she was a part of them or not, always trying to use them in order to stop the fight, if that makes sense to you. Lilka's like that in some sense, she doesn't want to see us fight," Ashley stated

Leon replied, "Ooooooh, I get it now." But his mind began to wander. He wondered if she wouldn't want to be with him anymore, following this little tiff. Nothing like this had ever entered his thoughts before, it was almost as if Leon had died and left a stranger to take over his body. Instantly, he knew what he must do. The boy left the house as well, leaving Ashley and Cecille to wonder what was going on with him.

* * *

Lilka was riding far away from the town, on her way towards the coastline of the island. She wanted to go to a beach, and let her mind wander while looking at the waves. It was a favorite thing for her to do if something was bothering her. The girl couldn't picture a time when there was no ocean, only rolling hills of sand as far as the eye could see. But, then again, people from then couldn't picture an emerald sea either.

She sighed. 'Maybe I was a little too hard on those boys. After all, they just had a disagreement, it happened all the time between Dad and Uncle Gallows. Or Mom and Dad. Or Mom and Maya. I was just a little frustrated at the moment, we need to find this hideout right away. Times like these, I wish I weren't a royal descendant, a person destined to wield the Power of Adlehyde into combat. What should I do, where in the world could this Demon Castle be? Not like Oni left any hints as to her whereabouts."

Just then, she heard the approaching sound of hoof beats. Lilka sighed, another Drifter passing by on his horse, another person to ask her what was wrong. The young girl hated attention from other people like that, she had a bit of an independence streak about her. It strongly mirrored Jet's own, people had no doubt in their minds that he'd fathered her. She turned around, to see what the stranger looked like.

"I was worried," Leon told her, "So I came right away. Lilka, I'm sorry for getting you upset. Your brother didn't tell me you hated to see people arguing, not until after you'd stormed out of the house in a huff after our argument. Can you accept my apology, and let me be your friend once again? Truth is, I'm not as happy as you'd think. I'm lonely, there was no one to play with when I was a kid. My mother at least had her kid brother, but I'm an only child, and Uncle Alfred never got married, thus he never had a kid. You saw how timid he is, he hasn't the courage to approach a girl and ask her out, let alone to marry him."

"What ever gave you the idea that I wouldn't want you as my friend? You sure have a weird sense of worry. But don't worry Leon, I was just upset. Once I cool down, it's easy to talk to me. Just, don't try to bug me when I'm having a bad day, I'll probably just snap back at you and stomp off again. I have a little bit of a temper, don't know where that comes from though. Both my parents are level headed, don't tend to go off the deep end whenever something bad happens. You'll see it when you meet them," Lilka said.

The moon was shining bright in the sky, letting its light spill out onto the surface of the planet. It formed a beam that covered the two youths, as they looked into each other's eyes. Leon smiled at the girl in front of him. Maybe he was only fourteen, but this was definitely something more than friendship that the two seemed to share between them. He couldn't say what, having never experienced it before, but he had a sneaky suspicion that it was love. The boy sighed a little, as he saw the shining amethysts in her eyes. He felt like he could just stay like this forever, looking into those orbs that captivated his soul.

He asked, "Lilka, you're older and might know this. Have you ever been in love before? If so, do you know what it feels like. How does it manifest itself in a person? Can you tell when it's around?"

Lilka pondered that. "I'm no expert, I've never fallen in love before. But here's some things I noticed when I looked at my parents or asked them about how they met and fell in love. First, you tend to do things you wouldn't normally do. My dad, a loner, joined a team and just couldn't leave them even though he had decided to do so. Then, you want to protect that person, like how Dad kept taking care of Mom whenever there was something wrong with her. And Mom helped Dad out emotionally when he had a problem. But the most important, is when you feel you want to be with that special someone for all eternity."

"I think I might be in love," confessed Leon, "And Lilka, the girl in question is you."  


"You really love me?! That's strange, I was thinking that I might have feelings for you as well. We have time, though, time to work through these feelings, time to think about what we want. We're only kids, so we don't have to rush into commitment. That keeps us from making any stupid mistakes by rushing into marriage, and not working out our problems first. Cecille is always saying teen romances are good for just that very reason," stated Lilka. Her eyes closed, and she and Leon moved into a passionate kiss.

But Cecille's exited squeals cut it short. She screamed, "Lilka, Leon come quick! Oni has just attacked the town of Ballack Rise. I think her hideout might be somewhere near that area."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

More pointless fluff. At least they realize they're too young for a serious relationship. But that doesn't mean they can't have one. My cousin Lufia's been going out with Max since, oh Ladon. I think they had to be about thirteen. And they had the childhood sweatheart thing going on before that.


	15. Demon in Hiding

****

Demon in Hiding

The people of Ballack Rise were all too shaken up to tell them properly what had happened when the Demoness had shown up. Bu they were able to tell the team that she'd escaped to the north. And the only dungeon up there was the Den of Miasma. Lilka assured them they could make it there ok, and left the town. Everyone mounted up their horses. Leon, on his black stallion Midnight, was leading the column, with Lilka and Cocoa right behind. Ashley, riding Shimmer, came not long after his twin, while Cecille and Blur were taking up the rear. Soon, they made it to the Den of Miasma. But a rockslide had blocked the entrance. No doubt Oni was responsible, she probably found another way out in order to block the known door. Then, no one would be able to surprise her, and she always would have the upper hand.

"I've got an idea," Leon told them, "Just stay back, this might get messy." He pulled out a larger type of bomb than the twins were used to. It exploded, causing the rocks to fall down to the ground. The boy grinned at his success, he surely did know what he was doing. Leon silently thanked his Uncle Alfred for all of those lessons on explosives, they surely did come in handy in a place like this. His other Tools were a throwing grenade, and a carpet bomb, which spread explosives over a wide range of area.

They continued for quite some time, unobstructed by anything except rocks and the strange jells that lay on the floor. But suddenly, their search came to a screeching halt. For in the way was a large crevice, opened by the monster that Clive had went to exterminate in the old days. Lilka and Ashley were at a loss, to come all this way and still fail in their mission was unbearable. How could they get across?  


"I've got it! Use the powers of Rei Kaze, maybe she can get us across the chasm. After all, she is the Guardian of the Sky, she's got to be strong!" exclaimed Cecille. She smiled at her triumph, for once it was her who had thought of the plan. Usually Lilka had brainstorms, the rest of the time it was Ashley.

Ashley said, "You know, that just might work. Come! Guardian of the Sky! Bring us to the other side of this chasm. We need your help to vanquish the evils that are trying to harm the people of our mother planet, Filgaia!" Suddenly, the form of the sorceress appeared before them. She held out her hand, and the four were levitated. Then, the winds brought them over to the other side of the chasm, and put them back on the ground. Each of the warriors then began to get their footing, sos not to mess up when they fought.

They entered what had once been the den of the monster that Clive had fought. Although burnt out by the villagers over seventeen years ago, it looked now like a beautiful noblewoman's room. A golden table with golden chairs lined with velvet cushions sat on one side. There was a golden bed with velvet sheets on the mattress on the other side, a velvet blanket and canopy adding to its beauty. It was all they could do to keep from staring at the scene, mouths wide open. This was more wealth than they'd seen in their lives.

Oni waited for them, sitting at the table with a large roasted chicken on her plate. Most likely she had stolen it from the village after she attacked it. It angered Lilka, to see her acting like nothing had gone on there, like she hadn't hurt anyone in that attack. Or, more likely, that she didn't care who she'd hurt. "You are truly a despicable creature, Demon scum. How dare you harm innocent people like that, people who just want to live their lives in peace. If you want to wipe out all life on Filgaia, then you'll have to go through us first. For I'm not giving up until you are dead. And I can speak for all of us as well with that."

"Foolish human," she muttered, "You don't seem to understand. Although my creators were able to give me life, I cannot survive on this planet in Filgaia's current state. It must not only regenerate, as your parents did to it, but evolve for me to life. That's why I have collected human souls, to use them for energy, due to the loss of Yggdrasil and Deus Ex Machina. If you join me, then I will evolve your forms before I start the process, allowing you to have normal human bodies. If you refuse, then you will die here and now."

Lilka pulled out her guns. She knew that she would have to do something drastic if she was to beat this menace. After all, one Demon is much stronger than a human. Even with four, they were unsure of the power of their opponent, and whether or not they could match her on what they already had with them.

"Lilka! You must learn to control the power inside of you. Do you want to accidentally lose control one day, and destroy something? I was lucky, it never happened to me. But if you're not careful, and shirk your responsibilities, the power might come around and bite you," her father's voice rang through her head. It was a memory of years ago, when Jet had taught the two kids how to handle their inherited powers.

She whispered, "My power, it is the same as that of Filgaia. Could it be useful in such a fight as this, where we have to destroy such a powerful enemy? Certainly, Father expelled Leehalt's life force with his powers, but could mine be weaker due to the fact that I have Mom's blood as well in my vein?"

She didn't have time to think. For just then, Oni lunged at her, grabbing the girl by the neck. Lilka could feel the powers flowing through the Demoness, wicked and twisted, not the benevolent sort that she, her father, and her brother wielded. It was then that she got an idea. She'd fight fire with fire.

Lilka noticed Oni hadn't restrained her arms. She then lifted them up, ready to choke the wicked Demoness like Oni was choking the sorceress. Her powers began to shine, just like they had for Jet when he dispelled Leehalt. Oni let go, and jumped back to catch her breath and stop the spell.

She looked at her adversary, incredible angry. "How can a creature like you cast such magic? Is the planet so desperate, that it uses children to finish its work? Or are you some sort of monster? For if you are, you should follow your destiny and join me. We can terraform Filgaia together."

"Sorry, I have to decline your most gracious offer," stated Lilka, "I am Lilka Jane Enduro, daughter of Jet and Virginia Enduro. My powers are part of my birthright, but you wouldn't understand the full story, as you were born after your creators died. Now, you will die as well, for all the crimes you have committed against Filgaia, all of the people who live here, and the hope of a future generation."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

I'm starting to get depressed. It's rained for weeks on end. Rain is nice in moderation, but not in excess.


	16. Fulfillment

****

Fulfillment

"Those powers weren't too shabby," stated Oni, "But I will still be able to kill you. I don't care where you got so strong, a mere human can never hope to be able to defeat a full blooded Demon in combat. Get ready to die by my blade!" She pulled out a long rapier, Guardians only know where she had been able to find one, and attacked again. Lilka had just enough time to parry the blow with ATT Blocker.

'I've got to find a way to be able to get her in a headlock or grab onto her in any way. Then, I can use my powers to dispel her from Filgaia, just as Dad did to Leehalt. But how in the world will I be able to get close? I'm sure she's not going to make the same mistake twice, she's a slick one,' mused Lilka. She brought up her ARMs, and fired them both. Then, she signaled for her allies to do the same thing.

When the Hybrid H/X8 and the Filgaia 67A made contact, something happened. It was small, but they could see a little bit of their powers had taken effect for a short time, making a small portion of Oni's body glow with a green light. Ashley wondered, 'Did this happen to Dad too, when he shot the Airget-lahm at those Demons who weren't a natural part of Filgaia, and had to be cleansed? I don't remember him ever saying anything strange would happen when he fired his ARM, so maybe he never paid attention to it.'

Oni, not noticing the small traces of power eating away at her, began to laugh. "Is this all you are capable of? I should not expect so much of mere children, even children with some sort of mysterious force behind them. You probably can't control such a power, I don't think you even understand what it can do yet. Thush, there is no way that you can defeat me, now stand still and die like good little children."  


"I don't think so," stated Lilka, "We're never going to give up. Cecille! Ashley! She's a Demon so her weakness must be light. We each aim a Saint spell straight at her, maybe that can help us win against this evil." She pulled out her Crest Board, and watched as her brother and friend did the same thing.

"What is this 'Saint' you speak of. I have watched you four whelps, and have seen nothing of the sort. Only one can cast Light Magic, the girl with the brown hair. So how, suddenly, can all of you do it. Besides, your Light Spell is called Nova, not Saint like you now claim," Oni told the three sorcerers.

Cecille said, "Well then, you've never heard of the Shamans, and our other magic. These Mediums come from the Guardians directly, and Invoking them will get you Arcana used by the Baskar, but they are not as powerful as Crest Sorcery. This art, passed to us from our mothers, is the key to victory."

With that, they all fired at once. But that did little to faze Oni, she attacked with Phantom Hazard. Luckily, Dark Ward is a part of Elemental Ward, and no damage was taken by the team. Lilka breathed a sigh of relief, she really didn't need to be lying on the floor about now. And Oni was shaken by the fact that she hadn't been able to harm them. Meaning, she was now much more vulnerable than before.

Suddenly, she attacked again with her sword. It was going for Cecille, ready to slice her open and disembowel her. The young girl closed her eyes, she was paralyzed with fear, and waited for the end, where Ge Ramtos would come for her soul. But as the minutes passed, no death seized her young body.

Cecille looked up. She saw Ashley with the staff he had grabbed before this mission as a backup. The boy was holding off the Demoness's sword with a plain oak staff! Cecille gave a sigh of relief, she had known her grandmother had enchanted all the staves in the house in order to keep them from breaking.

"Why?" asked Oni, "Why would you give your life for this one girl? Surely, your own life is much more important than hers, so why do you risk it to save her? I never will get you humans and your foolish sentiments, it only makes life much more confusing." She was clearly losing ground against the Shaman Prince, and was trying desperately to regain her footing. But the boy's behaviors were baffling her.

"It's simple, Demon scum. I love her. And I have loved her since we were children. A man will do anything for the one he loves, even die in her place. Cecille is the most important person to me in this world, besides my blood relations. If I perished in the act of protecting her, I would die a happy man indeed. I can tell that you're faltering, you don't seem to have the strength to conquer love," stated Ashley.

Cecille exclaimed, "Oh, Ashley! Would you really do all of those things for me? I never knew how you truly felt, I'm sorry for being so ignorant. Please, forgive me. I love you too, Ashley Enduro, I love you until the days when the world crumbles beneath our feet, when Demons actually are able to succeed in their mad schemes, when love is no longer a word and emotion we can speak and convey freely to each other."

Ashley nodded. "I could never stay mad at you Cecille. You're the only woman I could ever love in this crazy world of ours. There's nothing I won't do in order to protect you from these Demons who wish to do harm to the world. So don't worry about me, I'll be able to survive if only you are by my side in battle."

Lilka decided to take advantage of her brother's personal duel against the Demoness. She began to sneak around behind, ready to go in for the kill. Then, she grabbed her opponent by the neck, and began to concentrate all her powers into her hands. A green glow erupted around Oni, and she began to scream. The power of Filgaia was flowing directly through both the girl and her opponent. Suddenly, the attack hit its critical mass, and Oni began to convulse. Suddenly, she exploded into a shower of lights. But Lilka was unable to see this. For the second all her powers were released, she fell unconscious.

* * *

When next Lilka awoke, she was on the back of Leon's horse, Midnight. Leon himself held her in his arms, watching over her as she slept. The second the girl awoke, he helped her to sit up on her own.

"I had to repay what you did for me before," he said, "When you saved me from the Kuma, and got me back home. I guess this is a fair payment, I am carrying you away from a dangerous place. No, scratch that one. I'm not doing this for a reward, or to pay back a debt. I'm doing this because I care about you. Let's get you to a town where you can rest and relax to regain your strength. Someday, you're going to have to explain that Demon Slaying Power you used on Oni, I'm really curious about what it was."  


"This is a record. It took my dad months to open up like this. You opened up in no time flat. I'll have to put it in the books. Mom's going to really tease Dad about this," joked Lilka. Then, the team began to laugh, as they headed towards the town of Ballack Rise for a place to sleep and for some food.

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words  
  
Fun with the final fight. Ashley defending Cecille like Jet defended Virginia, and Lilka goes "Deus ex Machina" on Oni. That's my term for Jet dispelling Leehalt; inside joke don't ask. The reason she fainted was that she is only half as strong as Jet, so dispelling a pure Demon takes more out of her.


	17. End of the Prophecy

****

End of the Prophecy

Virginia was sitting in her favorite chair, reading a book on magic written by a friend of her mother and Victoria. It spoke greatly of magical prophecies like the Gemini, including all of the details. The words seemed to jump out at the woman, assuring her that her children were safe. "'The wicked one will fight the Gemini and their allies, but will not be able to win. A power that only the Gemini can use will destroy any hostile force, and save the world once more.' Does that mean the powers they inherited from Jet? Cuz I can't think of anything the twins specialized in besides ARMs, magic, and the Filgaian Power. Besides, the ARMs are quite common, and all Shamans and Baskar learn their own varieties of magic to fight with."  


"You'll fry your brain worrying too much," Jet told his wife, "Ashley and Lilka won't just lay down and die on us, they're both fighters. Remember what happened ten years ago? They escaped Vincent's hideout on their own, with only the power of Dist Dims. And Lilka had only trained with it for about six months."

"I know, Jet. It's just that it's a mother's duty to worry about her children when they're not here. I was the one who carried them within my body for nine grueling months, and raised them from infancy. We women grow much more attached to our offspring than the men do, because of such facts," she retorted.

Jet stated, "If there wasn't that stupid accident, then I would have been there to raise the babies too. You know I'd never desert the woman who had given me life after I thought my soul was dead forever. Stupid Leehalt, why did he have to tell me my origins in a way like that? Your old man would have eventually broke the news to me gently, probably that's the reason why he never told me, he was thinking how he'd do it."

Virginia knew the argument was getting them nowhere fast. She took Jet in her arms, and gave him a kiss, right on the lips. That had the effect she was going for, as Jet put his arms around her slim waist, and gave him one of his own. They stood like that for several minutes, relishing the moment as if it was the last one they'd ever share. That was how strong the bond between the two was after all this time.

Suddenly, they heard noises coming from the other room. "Do they do this on a daily basis, or are they just having a little fun because their kids aren't home?" "Oh you shut up, they love each other, so they kiss, your parents probably do it too." "Not in front of me." "Well sis, remember this is Maya we're talking about here." "Oh, shut up, I just told him that they probably do it too." "Guys, don't fight with one another, you know I don't like it when we argue." "Oh would you just keep out of it." The last one sounded like two voices speaking at the same time, one male and one female, chiding the girl who had just begun to whine.

Virginia and Jet turned around. There, she could see her children, as well as their young friend and a boy she'd never met, standing in the doorway. Lilka had apparently been fighting with the blond lad, and Ashley was adding his two cents in. Cecille had tried to end the debate, but Ashley and Lilka were quite fond of arguing with one another, and told her to stop. These sort of things happened often between them.

"You're home!" exclaimed Virginia, "You've finally come back from the battlefield. Is anyone hurt? Who's your new friend? Did you manage to defeat the enemy, or is he going to come back and try to fight against us once more? Can I offer you anything to eat?" The questions were being fired off at rapid speed, as Virginia's concern for her children came out. Leon just tried to ignore her, until Lilka elbowed him.

"First of all, none of us were hurt. I was exhausted from using my powers, but Leon carried me until I could get back on my own horse again. Which partially answers your second question. His name is Leon Vanderbuilt, and he's our chosen ally. The enemy is dead, turns out Sigfried and the Prophets all placed their DNA in a test tube filled with nanomachines and Panakea Fluid in order to leave a legacy behind in case they failed. I killed her, just the way Dad killed Leehalt. And finally, we're starving, can we get some good hearty meat for our dinner. If not, I can go out hunting for it," offered Lilka, only half joking about it.

Virginia told her children and their allies, "We've got plenty of food. Each of you can help yourself to whatever it is that you want. Just don't leave a mess behind in the kitchen, or the four of you will have to clean it up before those of you that don't live here go home. You know how I hate a messy kitchen."

They did as they were told. All of them were fixing a great dinner that consisted of a chicken oven roasted with the perfect blend of spices cooking on it. While they waited, the team played blackjack with a set of cards that Ashley kept in his room. Jet decided to join the game, and Virginia followed not long after.

Jet looked at Leon. "Forgive me for being blunt, but I think I've seen you before. Well, maybe not you exactly, but someone who looks like you. I get the feeling that you're related to a person Ginny and I might have run into while we were on our journey around the world. And there's a pretty long list. I can count on both hands and feet to keep score, and still no have enough fingers and toes to finish it."

"Simple," Leon stated, "I'm Maya Schroedinger's son. Mom told me all about you guys. She often spoke harshly, but Uncle Alfred said she really liked your team. Ma's always been a little bit critical of other human beings, Dad learned early on not to argue with her when she'd made up her mind to do something."

"Sounds a lot like Maya to me. I'm glad to hear she's been doing well for herself. Although she did have a bit of a temper, I could tell she wasn't really that bad. Just a tad bit money hungry, and refused to let anything distract her from her goal. Sort of like a certain man I know who just happens to be sitting at this table with us now," said Virginia. She poked Jet with her elbow as a tease. He didn't find it funny.

Lilka inquired, "Mom, if it's ok with you, could we sort of continue our journey as Drifters? I mean, if we were able to destroy a powerful Demoness like Oni, I'm sure we could handle ourselves out there. We'll come to visit you as much as you like, don't worry. I don't want to leave the two of you all alone out here, but my wings just have to fly as far as they can, to see whatever they can on this planet of ours."

Virginia smiled. "Your wings have already taken you far, the two of you are no longer children. If this is what you wish to do, you have my blessings. I trust that you are mature and responsible enough to take on this task, after all, you are my children, as well as your father's children. Being a Drifter is in your blood, the same as your magic, or your special power. Use them, and live your life the way you want it. Don't let anyone restrain your wings, fly as high as you can and find your place in this world."

- - - -

****

Teefa's Last Words…

Can you say cheesy ending? I'm sure you can. But how else could we do this? Usually, I end with snappy romance or weddings, but these characters are too young. Their feelings still have to develop. I'm getting to the thank yous. First, to Media Vision for making the game. Then, to the sites that got me into Wild ARMs. Of course, to any RPG and anime I found some little quirks from, I sometimes can't name them all due to their sheer number.


End file.
